“Mickey” – the best friend that anybody could ask for.
It is my privilege to recommend Patrick Voelkel as a caregiver. Pat took wonderful care of my mother at home for the last two years of her life. This made my mother very happy and was a blessing for the entire family. Pat is extremely compassionate and completely trustworthy. My family and I got to know him through a family friend who had also used Pat as a caregiver for their father, who had ALS.
My mother had Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia. She did not want to leave her home of over 50 years to move into an assisted living facility, but she was unable to live alone. When we heard Pat was available we made arrangements for him to come to the house from Monday through Friday for 8 hours each day.
While caring for my mother Pat performed a variety of daily activities. He assisted my mother with bathing, dressing, preparing and feeding meals and using the bathroom. He took my mother for drives in the car to see all of her favorite places, chatting all the while about her memories. Pat scheduled, drove and attended my mother’s physician appointments and checkups and reported details from the appointment back to me. He took care of ordering medication refills and picking them up, grocery shopping, hair appointments, dog grooming appointments, general house maintenance, and car maintenance. Pat was a wonderful companion for my mother, and he spent time in conversation with her to help keep her mind as sharp as possible. Pat has a great sense of humor and would often joke around with my mom to keep her spirits up. He gave her massages daily to help keep her more comfortable and completed range of motion exercises to keep her moving. When he noticed a change in my mom’s health or behavior, he would immediately report it to me and contact the Alzheimer’s Association to learn more about what he could do to make her more comfortable. Pat stayed on for two weeks after my mom passed to help me get the hospital equipment returned, the house cleaned and sorted and organized.
I hope that you will seriously consider Patrick Voelkel for a caregiver. I am confident that you will be as happy with his work as we were. Pat’s kindness, caring and sense of humor put my mother and my family at ease and made her last days comfortable. Please feel free to contact me should you want to discuss anything further. I can be reached via email at [email protected].
Kelly Kristoff
Towson, Maryland
To Whom It May Concern,
Pat Voelkel was the live-in caregiver for my father for two and a half years beginning in January 2014. At the time he started caring for my father, Dad was 91 and suffering from Parkinson’s and early stages of dementia. Pat was the only person my father would consider having live with him, and they developed a close relationship.
Pat was on deck to handle all the everyday details of Dad’s life, from weekly shopping to getting a new glasses prescription to calling the furnace repairmen, always staying in touch with me. Likewise, Pat coordinated Dad’s health issues including medication management, physical therapy and doctor’s appointments. He was always on the alert for new developments and kept me informed.
But most important is Pat’s tagline, “A Man Who Cares,” because it is so appropriate. Pat really puts his heart and soul in to his work. His rapport with my father and his continual efforts to find the best solutions to the many problems of extreme old age were exemplary. He dedicated himself to keeping Dad active and involved. He found Tai Chi classes and got Dad the physical therapist and learned the routines. He took him to the therapy cognitive state, delving into his interests and past pursuits to spark conversation and keep memories alive. His sense of humor brought a twinkle to Dad’s eye and always elicited a response. When it came time for Dad to move into assisted living, Pat’s support was an important factor in that transition.
Pat’s attention to the whole person is the key to his success as a caregiver. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Mollie Ridout
To Whom It May Concern
I have known Pat Voelkel for about 10 months and would strongly recommend him as a caregiver. He was recommended to me by a friend.
Pat took care of my mother, age 102, when I needed to be away on several occasions in the summer and fall of 2010. I subsequently arranged for him to take care of Jay Stewart, a close friend with end of stage parkinson’s disease, every Wednesday for 12-hour shifts. He initially worked several days a month, which was increased to every Wednesday from January to May 2011.
Pat is a dependable and caring person. Besides taking care of Jay’s personal needs, he was committed to providing enrichment and quality of life. He read to Jay, talked to him about interesting subjects, and made sure he listened to classical music and opera, both favorites of Jay’s. Pat took him out in the wheelchair on short outings so he could see other residents and get a breath of fresh air or change in scenery.
When Jay needed extra care, Pat was eager to learn from the Hospice nurse how to care for him. When Pat had concerns, he expressed them, which gave me a peace of mind. He never missed his assigned day.
Pat is honest and trustworthy and wants to make a difference in the quality of life of his clients. I recommend him as a caregiver.
Jay Stewart died on May 28, 2011. I was one of Jay’s close friends for 20 years, as near to family as one can have. He had no immediate family and regarded me and my husband John and our children as his family. I was glad Pat was a part of Jay’s final months.
Betty Knupp
